St. Augustine is lovely at night any time of the year, but the holiday season is always special.

Starting Nov. 19, a tradition returns with the 18th annual edition of St. Augustine's famed Nights of Lights, in which the historic district of the nation's oldest city will be illuminated with more than 3 million tiny white lights. The event earned St. Augustine a 2009 ranking by AAA as one of the 12 best places in the United States and Canada to experience holiday cheer. Last year, Nights of Lights was named one of the Top 100 events in the U.S. by the American Bus Association.

It runs through Jan. 31.

This year's light show will mark the return of the iconic Bridge of Lions into the mix. For the past five years, the bridge has been dark during the festival because of renovations. This year, the bridge and two new parks at each end of the span will be home to thousands of new lights in the display.

Activities on the opening weekend will feature the inaugural St. Augustine Marathon on Nov.19 and 20. Race events include a full marathon, half marathon, 10K, 5K and kids' races. Winners will get to drink from the Grail of Endurance filled with fresh spring water from the world-famous Fountain of Youth. (Uh, I've tasted that Fountain of Youth water, and I'd rather have Gatorade.)

Winter Wonderland returns to the St. Augustine Amphitheatre on Nov. 26, with outdoor ice skating, a giant ice slide, carriage rides and snow each night. There also will be appearances by Santa Claus and adult refreshments (for ages 21 and older) in the Igloo Lounge. It runs daily through Jan. 1, including Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day.

On Dec. 10, there's a Sunset/Moonrise Tour that offers a view of Nights of Lights from atop the St. Augustine Lighthouse. The event includes a champagne toast, provided by San Sebastian Winery, hors d'oeuvres and a presentation of lighthouse history. Fee is $25 for non-museum members and $20 for members. Reservations are required. Visit staugustinelighthouse.com or call 904-829-0745.

Check out floridashistoriccoast.com for details on other St. Augustine holiday events.